All Ministers provided to Prelacies suld have vote in Parliament.
19th December 1597.
Our Soveraine Lord, and his Hieness Estates in Parliament, havand
special consideration and regarde of the great priviledges and
immunities granted be his Hieness predecessours, of maist worthy
memory, to the halie Kirk within this realme; and to the special
persones exercing the offices, titles, and dignities of prelacies
within the samin; quhilks personnes hes ever represented ane of the
Estatis of this realme in all Conventions of the saids Estates; and
that the saids priviledges and freedomes hes beene from time to time
renewed and conserved in the same integrity and condition, quhairin
they were at ony time of before; swa that his Majesty acknowledging
the samine now to be fallen and becummin under his Majesties maist
favourable protection; therefore his Majesty, of his greate zeale and
singular affection, quhilk he alwayes hes to the advancement of the
trew religion presently professed within this realme, with advise
and consent of his Hieness Estates, statutes, decernes, and declares
that the Kirk within this realme, quhairin the samin religion is
professed, is the trew and halie Kirk: And that sik pastoures and
ministers within the samin, as at ony time his Majesty sall please
to provide to the office, place, title, and dignity of ane bishop,
abbot, or uther prelate, sall at all time hereafter have vote in
Parliament, siklike and als freely, as ony uther ecclesiastical
prelate had at ony time bygane; and als declaris, that all and
quhatsumever bishopricks presently vaikand in his Hieness hands,
quhilks as zit are undisponed to ony person, or quhilks sall happen
at ony time hereafter to vaik, sall be only disponed be his Majesty
to actual preachers and ministers in the Kirk; or to sik uthers
personnes as sall be foundin apt and qualified to use and exercise
the office and function of ane minister and preacher; and quha in
their provisions to the said bishopprickes sall accept in and upon
them to be actual pastoures and ministers, and according thereto sall
practize and exerce the samine thereafter.
_Item_, As concerning the office of the saids personnes to be
provided to the saids bishopprickes, in their spirituall policie and
governement in the Kirk: The Estates of Parliament hes remitted and
remitts the samine to the Kingis Majesty, to be advised, consulted,
and agreed upon be his Hienesse, with the General Assembly of the
ministers, at sik times as his Majesty sall think expedient to
treat with them thereupon; but prejudice alwayes in the meantime of
the jurisdiction and discipline of the Kirk, established be Acts
of Parliament, maide in ony time preceeding, and permitted be the
saids Acts, to all Generall and Provinciall Assemblies, and uthers
quhatsumever Presbyteries and Sessions of the Kirk.